


I have seen the best of you, and the worst of you (and I choose both)

by klainelynch



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: 5+1 Things, Episode: s03e19 Sozin's Comet Part 2 The Old Masters, Episode: s03e21 Sozin's Comet Part 4 Avatar Aang, Gen, Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, Iroh is a good uncle but not a perfect person and that’s WHY he’s my favorite character, Light Angst, Missing Scene, POV Iroh (Avatar), Smoke and Shadow Comics (Avatar), The Jasmine Dragon (Avatar), The Promise Comics (Avatar), The Search Comics (Avatar), brief discussion of suicide in chapter 6, on GOD we’re gonna get y’all some communication bro, we’re in comics territory but this will make sense even if you haven’t read them
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:41:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28459920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/klainelynch/pseuds/klainelynch
Summary: Iroh didn’t know it at the time, but there was no world in which Sokka wouldn’t be the first one to tell him about what his nephew had done for them.Or: 5 times that a member of the gaang told Iroh how Zuko helped them, and 1 time that Iroh told Zuko himself
Relationships: Aang & Iroh (Avatar), Iroh & Sokka (Avatar), Iroh & Suki (Avatar), Iroh & The Gaang (Avatar), Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), Katara & Iroh (Avatar), Toph Beifong & Iroh
Comments: 61
Kudos: 220





	1. Sokka

The young Water Tribe warrior was the first one to tell him. Iroh didn’t know it at the time, but there was no world in which Sokka _wouldn’t_ be the first one to tell him about what his nephew had done for them.

As everyone gathered for breakfast ( _not_ a final meal, they _would_ prevail today), Sokka made eye contact with Iroh and motioned away from everyone else. Iroh followed him, a bit unsure what they could have to discuss away from the others. 

He had met these children months ago on the other side of things, but it was obvious even then that Sokka was the group’s leader. At the time, that had struck Iroh as odd— wouldn’t it make more sense for the Avatar to lead them? And yet, every time Zuko attacked them, it was Sokka who could be seen making plans and directing others where to fight. This boy was smart, and noticed patterns that even Iroh’s top generals at Ba Sing Se wouldn’t have seen. He felt relieved that he was fighting _with_ him today.

“I’m really glad we were able to find you in time,” Sokka said. “The odds are stacked against us, especially since we still don’t know where Aang is, but for some reason, I think we have a chance.”

“I agree. But I have the feeling you didn’t just want to talk about our battle strategies before we got some food in our bellies.”

Sokka rubbed his neck and looked away. “I just wanted to make sure you knew how much Zuko helped us these last few weeks,” he said. “He showed up on the day of the eclipse and basically begged us to let him teach Aang firebending. Wouldn’t take no for an answer, even when we threw him out of our camp at first.”

Iroh smiled and glanced at Zuko, who was talking with the other children as they stood in line for breakfast. Toph said something that made Zuko laugh, and it was the kind of sound that all parents dream about.

It was hard to believe that only yesterday Jeong Jeong had worried about the Order fighting this battle alone. Piandao had insisted that, by giving Sokka the Lotus tile earlier in the summer, he had ensured that the Avatar and his group would make their way towards them at the right moment; however, Iroh wouldn’t risk anyone’s life on an optimistic wish. They had made their plans as if they were the world’s last hope.

Now they had a real shot at victory. They may not have had the Avatar just yet, but Zuko had finally found his way back to him, and Iroh wasn’t ready to squash the possibility of another miracle. Even though he felt the nerves that always appeared before a battle, Iroh’s soul felt lighter than it had in years.

“I am glad that my nephew was able to find his destiny in time to help you all,” Iroh said. It didn’t feel like enough, but Sokka’s smile reassured him that it was.

“I honestly don’t think we would have made it without him. He helped each of us out with what we needed, and saved our lives more than a couple of times,” Sokka continued. “I thought one of us ought to tell you since he doesn’t seem like the kind of guy to brag on himself, so I’m telling you now.”

"You know my nephew well,” Iroh said as he bowed his head in affirmation.

"And I know you're pretty much the reason why he joined us in the first place, so— thank you."

Iroh couldn’t help it; he knew the young man meant well, but he _laughed_.

“You’re very kind to say that, but Zuko has always had that goodness inside of him. All I had to do was not let that spark die.”

“It’s true!” Sokka insisted. “Any time he had an opportunity to talk about you, he did. Didn’t matter if it was about tea, or a tea related joke, or a proverb— Zuko was gonna bring you up.”

Feeling his face redden, Iroh gestured towards the breakfast line. After several years of snide remarks and cranky outbursts (all hiding a pain deeper than anything Iroh could truly understand), it would take time to adjust to Zuko’s new demeanor. He was grateful for it, of course. But it would take time.

“On our way to the Boiling Rock, he wouldn’t stop talking about—”

“On your way to _what_?” Iroh interrupted. 

Surely, he had heard wrong.

He could tell that Sokka was now uncomfortable, like he hadn’t realized what he had stepped into until it was too late, but he kept talking.

“Um, I kind of asked Zuko where my dad was being held after the invasion? And he insisted on coming with me to break him out?”

Iroh pinched the bridge of his nose. Clearly, it had all worked out. Clearly, everything was fine now. But he would be having a talk with Zuko about thinking things through when it came to risking his life. _Again_.

He felt Sokka put a bowl in his hand, and opened his eyes. Sokka’s expression was that of a guilty toddler who had just been caught sneaking sweets an hour before dinner.

“I thought he would have told you about this, but I guess there hasn’t been time. Please don’t tell him I said anything about it, just know that he saved my dad, and Suki, and even this new guy, Chit Sang.”

It didn’t surprise Iroh to hear that, of course, but the Boiling Rock’s cruelty was legendary. Even at the height of his military career, Iroh avoided sending prisoners to that place if he could help it. Not that _any_ Fire Nation prison was known for its comfort, but the Boiling Rock was especially prone to breaking the hardest of warriors. 

And these children had led the first successful escape in its history. 

If he had been optimistic about their chances for today before this conversation, he was downright confident now.

“It certainly wouldn’t be the first time that Zuko went on a life-threatening mission, but it’s not a habit I want him to continue,” Iroh said. 

The pair turned as Zuko called them over to their circle, and Iroh decided to join them for breakfast instead of the rest of the Order’s High Council. He’d been around enough old people these last few weeks.

“Maybe talk to him about avoiding life-threatening missions _after_ today?” Sokka suggested, and Iroh thought he was probably right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic started off as a drabble in [my Iroh drabble collection](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25315975). I realized that it could work as its own fic too, so I wrote the Sokka section, and it wasn’t long before I realized that it could work really well as part of a 5+1 fic, so here we are. I’ll update this fic every Thursday.
> 
> Title is adapted from Sarah Kay & Phil Kaye’s [”An Origin Story”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esgfG3BoAPc&feature=emb_logo)
> 
> Kudos, comments, and transformative works are always appreciated <3
> 
> Find me on tumblr at [klainelynch](https://klainelynch.tumblr.com/)


	2. Aang

It was refreshing to play Pai Sho against someone whose style closely mirrored his own. Iroh supposed that Aang had no choice _but_ to play like they did a century ago, and he tried to not let the guilt of his family’s crimes overwhelm him. 

The war was over, and the Avatar was taking a break from the innumerable meetings that ended wars even more than the battles themselves. He wished his nephew would follow suit, but Zuko insisted on working relentlessly in these days leading up to his coronation.

“Thanks for playing with me," Aang said as he stole another one of Iroh’s tiles. "No one else really gets this game. I thought maybe it was just another one of those things that wasn't popular any more."

"It is certainly an ancient game, but one that could help people today understand the complexities of daily life, if they opened their minds just a bit," Iroh said as he returned the favor and claimed two of Aang’s tiles in one swift movement.

"Yeah! I mean, my friends didn’t even care about the giant Pai Sho table at the Western Air Temple!"

That had been one of the few good discoveries Iroh had made while searching the Air Temples with Zuko. His nephew, of course, had taken one look in the room and scowled that this was a dead end. 

Iroh had stayed awhile. Not too long—he didn't want Zuko to get lost or push himself too hard with his banishment only a week in the past—but long enough to appreciate the craftsmanship of the Air Nomads. Each tile had exquisite carvings, and though the color had faded with time, Iroh could tell that the airbenders had taken advantage of the large size to create even more intricate and complex designs. 

If he hadn't already been convinced of their innocence, that would have done it.

"Zuko told us how much you loved Pai Sho,” Aang said, “and I thought he might be interested in a game after we met Ran and Shaw, since he had changed so much, but he just wanted to train all the time."

Iroh dropped the tile he was about to place and felt his face shift into a grin. It wasn’t something he was doing on purpose—it was just happening.

“You two met the Masters?”

“Yeah, just like you! They were amazing!” Aang’s entire face lit up, and it made him look even more like the child that he was. It had been easy to forget his youth as he interacted with so many dignitaries and world leaders over these last few days. Avatar Aang carried his maturity well, but it warmed Iroh’s heart to see him act his age after the world had forced him to grow up so quickly.

Iroh remembered how young _he_ had felt in front of the dragons, and he had been _twice_ as old as the children who had just saved the world. That burden, of the entire world’s survival, shouldn’t have been borne by shoulders so young; yet, they had managed to do it.

“The Sun Warriors told us about you being the last outsider to meet them,” he continued. “Zuko and I thought it was really incredible that we learned from them just like you." His smile faltered briefly as he realized that Iroh was hearing this story for the first time. "Did—did Zuko not tell you about this?"

"There has been so much for us to catch up on, and he hasn’t allowed himself to take much of a break," Iroh said, struggling to keep his voice level. He had spent a great deal of the day helping Zuko sort through the current ministers and giving his advice on which ones to trust and how to let the others go. Though the work was taxing, it felt good to help Zuko in these final days before he had to step away for propriety’s sake. Zuko happily took his suggestions—until Iroh advised that they relax the rest of the evening, recalling how prone he was to working himself past the point of exhaustion. Zuko scowled and locked himself in his room with a handful of reports. So, Iroh found a Pai Sho board, and it wasn’t long before he found an opponent.

“I’m sure he’ll tell you all about it when he has time,” Aang said, “but you know something I realized about Zuko? You sometimes have to ask him about things, otherwise he’ll just keep it all bottled up inside.”

Apparently, Iroh had found an opponent who had an incredibly insightful read on his nephew. “Why don’t you go ahead and share your story? Zuko can tell me what he learned later, but right now, I am very curious how our two experiences compare,” he said.

So Aang told him, not quite in a straightforward way, but in a way that conveyed how much their journey meant to him, exactly how Zuko had helped him. How they traveled on a fool’s hope, and had been rewarded with the rainbow fire that still fueled Iroh’s own bending. How Zuko had offered to teach Aang firebending, no matter the cost, and how he had first recognized his own shortcomings when his flame weakened. 

Iroh remembered the pain in Zuko’s eyes when he first woke up on his ship and tried to bend; the ensuing panic attack had wiped out the better part of that afternoon. He refused to firebend in front of anyone but Iroh for months. Ozai’s cruelty had regressed Zuko’s bending to a child’s level, and while there had been times when Iroh worried that the Fire Lord had permanently damaged his son, Zuko had never allowed that setback to define him. And then he had gone on to train the Avatar in his final element.

His heart _soared_ at how much Zuko had grown, not just as a bender, but as the kind and courageous person Iroh had always known him to be. Even his frustration over Zuko’s unwillingness to take care of himself couldn’t dampen this sort of pride.

As Aang talked, Iroh found it harder to concentrate on his strategy. More than once, he wanted to interrupt the story and point out a rookie mistake from the Avatar, but bit his tongue. A few moves later, he would realize that it was a successful trap which required serious recalibration on Iroh's part. He had gone easy on Aang in their first game due to his young age and aforementioned family guilt, and had been thoroughly trounced. In the next three games, he had actively tried to win, and was only able to do so once.

The glint in Aang’s eye told Iroh that he knew exactly what effect talking about Zuko was having on Iroh, and he just had to laugh. Airbenders had been known for their pranks, and it seemed like they weren’t above weaponizing familial ties for a victory.

At least this defeat would give Iroh some new strategies to use on unsuspecting opponents.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This section came together really quickly after the Sokka one. I love Aang so much, and just feel like he and Iroh would vibe really well.
> 
> Kudos, comments, and transformative works are always appreciated <3
> 
> Find me on tumblr at [klainelynch](https://klainelynch.tumblr.com/)


	3. Toph

Coronation ceremonies were always drawn-out affairs. The Fire Nation didn’t really believe in doing something unless it was worth being watched by thousands of people. Usually the ceremony was even longer because the Fire Sages first had to hold a funeral for the old Fire Lord; this was the first time in living memory when the old one was still alive as the new Fire Lord was crowned.

The endless night was nearly over, and Iroh watched as Zuko made his way around to every person and said all of the things that he had been rehearsing. These conversations were just as important as the ceremony itself: they laid the groundwork for the diplomatic relationships that would be necessary for the new era of peace Zuko had promised. 

Even if Azula’s lightning hadn’t almost ended his life just a week ago, Zuko would have been exhausted. As it was, he looked ready to collapse.

Luckily, his friends seemed aware of that. Katara had dragged him over to their table, and everyone kept shoving food and drink at him. He kept shaking his head and trying to insist that he was fine. Even from a few tables away, Iroh could see how Sokka rolled his eyes and complained about stubborn firebenders as he went to grab a new plate of food.

Iroh smiled. All he had wanted for his nephew was for him to find his way, and now he had done it. That alone would have been enough, but the spirits had also granted him good companions for the journey. They were very blessed.

"Do you think he'll ever get used to having this many people care about him?"

Iroh turned and saw that Toph was pulling up a chair to his table. She seemed to have swiped the last of the Komodo sausages, choosing to grab the entire tray instead of putting the food on her own plate.

"What makes you ask that?"

"I know what it's like, growing up rich. You're surrounded by supposedly nice people all day long, and you can trust absolutely _none_ of them. It was one of the first things I had to get over when I started traveling with them," she said, gesturing to the table where Sokka, who had grabbed every single one of Zuko's favorite foods, was smiling triumphantly as Zuko reluctantly, and then ravenously, tore into the plate. 

"They needed me to teach Aang earthbending, but they also wanted me to be a part of the group. We tried to get that into Zuko's head, but he's got a pretty thick skull,” she said.

"Hmmm," Iroh agreed. Few had seen that stubborn streak more than he had; fewer would realize how helpful that trait would be in the future, when Zuko would have to hold onto his ideals in the face of almost insurmountable odds and guide his nation away from a century of bloodshed. But Iroh realized it.

"Can I ask you something?" Toph's question pulled him back to the moment. Iroh took one of the sausages from the tray as he told her to continue.

"When we first met, you told me that I should let people who loved me take care of me. It was good advice, and I think it saved my life," she said. “I never thought that I would want to rely on others, but I couldn’t have gotten off that airship without Sokka and Suki. Of course, they couldn’t have made it without my metalbending,” she grinned.

"But?" Iroh asked. 

"But did you take _my_ advice? About letting Zuko know that you need him too?"

Iroh sat back in his chair and slowly exhaled. "That's a good question. I tried to put him on a stable path in Ba Sing Se, and give him the guidance he needed when we returned to the Fire Nation—"

A hand in his face stopped him mid-thought. "That's not what I asked, and you know it."

Of course the spirits would grant Zuko friends who were annoyingly perceptive.

"No, I suppose I haven’t. I never found a good time when we were traveling in the Earth Kingdom, and our time here had even fewer opportunities for conversation,” he said. “Now he's the Fire Lord, and being pulled in so many different directions—I don't want to add to his pile of worries."

Iroh couldn't remember if his own father's ascension to the throne had been this chaotic, but he doubted it. Every day, more Ozai supporters had come forward and tried to regain their old posts. He was sure that at least half of them would have preferred Azula as Fire Lord, but were trying to make the situation work for them. 

A few had even approached _him_ and asked if he wasn't _sure_ that he didn’t want to take his birthright, and wouldn't it make _more sense_ to have the famed Dragon of the West on the throne instead of a recently traitorous child, and it wouldn't take an Agni Kai to make the change, just a _nudge_ from the Fire Sages. Politics had never truly interested him at the best of times. Now, everything about it made him want to throw up. Of course he wanted to help Zuko, but Iroh couldn’t see a way to do that without encroaching on his nephew’s fledgling authority. Stepping away, as painful as it was, was the best way to help him.

"Don't want to add to his pile of worries?" Toph repeated. "News flash: Zuko _is_ a pile of worries."

He wanted to argue the point, but no rebuttal came close to the weight of her words.

“Well, if I _were_ to take your advice, what would you suggest?”

She popped another bite of sausage in her mouth and chewed thoughtfully. “When we were hiding out on Ember Island, we saw this terrible play that made everyone look completely ridiculous. Well, everyone except me,” she laughed. “But the thing that bugged Zuko the most was that it reminded him of how much he messed up by betraying you. He thinks that everyone else has their act together, and he’s the only one who had to make mistakes to get to where he is today.”

“It’s fine, Aang, really!”

Zuko’s voice carried, and Iroh saw how irritated he and the rest of their friends were as Zuko was dragged away by yet another minister to a group of generals. Aang started to follow after Zuko, but Suki grabbed on his sleeve and pulled him back to his seat. Iroh couldn’t hear what she said as she did so, but he could tell that this girl knew enough of social politics to keep both the Fire Lord and the Avatar out of trouble. He also knew that she didn’t like it any more than Aang did.

“He hasn’t even gotten to enjoy his own party,” Aang huffed, crossing his arms.

Iroh privately agreed, but turned his attention back to Toph.

“You’re right. I _do_ need him. He has kept me focused on the things that really matter these last few years. I don’t even think he realized that he was helping me at the time. When I returned home from Ba Sing Se…I was not in a very good place.” Iroh shook his head. There was no need to relive the lowest days of his life, when he had wondered what was the point of it all. “But I would feel guilty asking for his help when the entire world needs him right now. I don’t want him to be a burden on him.”

“I’m not saying you need to give him homework,” Toph said. “But if you tell him how much he’s already helped you, maybe he’ll believe us when we tell him the same thing.”

It was a simple sort of logic, but it just might work.

"My nephew is lucky to have you as a friend.”

She grinned. "That's right. Hey, want to see a neat trick?" Before he could respond, she yelled, "Zuko! This blind war hero needs a ride to the turtle duck pond!"

Bewildered, Iroh looked at Zuko, who excused himself from his conversation as politely as one could when summoned by a twelve-year-old.

“You do realize that you just ordered the Fire Lord away from his top military general?”

“Eh, he’ll get over it,” Toph said, and Iroh wasn’t sure if she meant Zuko or the general. 

Zuko had made his way over to their table by this point, and was somehow grumbling and smiling as knelt next to Toph's chair. She climbed onto his back with ease.

"And how did this _neat trick_ start?" Iroh asked with a raised eyebrow.

Zuko opened his mouth to answer, but Toph cut him off. "He burned my feet the first night he found us, so now he helps me get around whenever I want."

Iroh wanted to say something, like _What?_ or _How?_ or _Are you okay?_ , but his nephew was already rolling his eyes and saying, “You know, that was only supposed to be until your feet recovered.”

"No way, it's until I no longer think it's funny, and that's not gonna be for a while. Now, stop by the buffet so we can grab some grapes and feed the turtle ducks."

Zuko did exactly as he was told, and the rest of their friends followed them out. Iroh wondered if Toph's demand was little more than a thinly veiled excuse for Zuko to get away from the last remnants of the celebration and just enjoy the evening with his friends. 

Annoyingly perceptive indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Toph’s section was really hard until it just clicked. The key was realizing that she would absolutely call Iroh out on his bs, thus giving me the perfect material for some internal growth from my favorite character.
> 
> Kudos, comments, and transformative works are always appreciated <3
> 
> Find me on tumblr at [klainelynch](https://klainelynch.tumblr.com/)


	4. Katara

Ba Sing Se really knew how to put on a fireworks display. Iroh appreciated them from the street with his neighbors, but Zuko and his friends had flown on the Avatar’s sky bison to get even closer. The sky was filled with so many explosions that Iroh worried about the group getting hit by one, but he supposed that Aang _had_ flown through plenty of firing zones in the war and emerged unscathed.

For many tourists, that had been the end of their vacation—the sign that the war was really over, and that a new era had begun. The group had decided to stay for one extra day, and Iroh was glad that they were able to enjoy themselves without any more meetings or public scrutiny. They had one day to just be kids before they returned to the real world, and they deserved it. Zuko in particular seemed to have been wiped out by the long night of fireworks; he had slept in later than usual and hadn’t said much all day, but his mood had improved by dinner. He sat in between Mai and Aang, and had been smiling throughout much of the conversation, even if he didn’t contribute much.

After the last dishes were cleared away, Iroh made enough tea for everyone to choose their favorite blend, and stood at the head of the table.

"Since it is the last night of your trip," he said, "I wanted to take a moment to thank the entire group for how you helped my nephew over these last few months."

"Uncle," Zuko said as he covered his face with his hands, "please don't do this."

Sokka reached across the table and pulled his hands away. "Oh no, he's doing this! You’re gonna sit here and listen to people say nice things about you, and you’re gonna like it!" 

Zuko's glare could have set him on fire.

Smiling, Iroh continued. "His path has not been straight, or easy, but he has made his way through that struggle when many would have faltered under the pressure, and I am grateful to each of you for your help in getting him there." He locked eyes with each person as he spoke, and tried to convey his gratitude. Words could never fully express how he felt towards anyone who had helped Zuko along his way, but he could certainly try.

"I sailed with Zuko for almost three years, journeyed through the Earth Kingdom with him for months, and though I never gave up hope, there were days when I wondered how I would ever get through to him. But in just a few weeks, you have helped him learn the true nature of fire," he nodded to Aang, "led the captive to freedom," to Sokka, "and saved his life when he needed it most," to Katara, "and I am certain that he has done many other brave and dangerous things with the rest of you, and I simply haven't heard about them yet. 

“But Zuko," he said, and his eyes stayed fixed on his nephew, "I want you to know that you have always had this capability for greatness inside of you, and I am glad that you found friends who helped you become the best version of yourself." Remembering what Toph had said to him just a few days ago, he added, “Much as the bread that needs a second proof before it reaches its full height, our journeys together gave _me_ the time and room to grow, and I am truly grateful for your companionship on the way.”

He lifted his cup in the air, and in a voice that wobbled only a little, he toasted: "To Zuko!" 

Everyone cheered to Zuko, who put his head back in his hands, but Iroh could see an embarrassed smile between his fingers.

If Zuko hoped that his uncle’s toast would end things, he was mistaken. One by one, each started sharing stories of how Zuko had helped them in some way, and Zuko’s face grew more red as the stories continued. Aang seemed to take particular joy in recounting his experience with Zuko as the Blue Spirit.

"It was the first time I wondered if Zuko wasn't all bad," he said as he finished up, "and I was right!"

"I still can't believe you fought in that clunky theatre mask," Mai said as she carded her fingers through Zuko’s hair. “That’s some serious commitment to the aesthetic.” 

Everyone laughed as Zuko tried to defend himself. Iroh yawned pointedly. As enjoyable as the evening had been, there came a certain point when youth wished to be left alone, and Iroh suspected that moment was fast approaching.

"I'm going to turn in for the night. Can I take everyone's cup before I go?" 

They all wished Iroh a good night as they passed their cups to his end of the table. Zuko caught his eye and mouthed thank you. Iroh nodded his head in return. He knew it was about more than the tea.

"Here, let me help you with that," Katara said as she grabbed the tray of cups. He smiled and thanked her for the help, but was surprised to notice how pink her cheeks were. There was clearly something affecting her, and Iroh wasn’t sure what he had missed.

She waited until they were in the kitchen before speaking in a low tone.

"I wanted to thank you for letting us stay here while we met with the Earth King. These last few days have been a really good vacation for all of us."

"Of course," he said. “You should feel free to stop by anytime you are in Ba Sing Se.”

Katara set the cups in the sink and started rinsing them out. "But I feel like I have to tell you—I wasn't the nicest to Zuko when he first joined our group.” 

Iroh wondered if she had positioned herself at the sink so that she could keep her back to him. Her confession wasn’t what he thought she would say, but he could tell that it had taken a lot for her to speak those words. It was strange to think that, not even a year ago, Iroh had been working to keep Zuko’s hope alive while also trying to ensure that he did not succeed in hurting the Avatar or any other innocent lives. He never seriously thought that Zuko wanted to _kill_ those in his way, but there were times when Zuko’s desire to return home seemed to overwhelm any sense of rational thought.

"My nephew has not always been the easiest person to get along with. We can celebrate how far he has come, but I never want you to feel like you aren't allowed to be hurt by the things he did to you in the past,” he said. 

"Right, but it was more than that,” she said, glancing over her shoulder. “I may have threatened his life?"

Iroh opened his mouth, but Katara continued. "And even when everyone else trusted him, it still took me a long time. Longer than it should have to really see that he had changed. And I know now that he has, but you were so nice in that speech, and I didn't want you to think everything was perfect in our group when it really wasn't."

She turned back to the sink, but Iroh caught the redness in her eyes. He wasn’t sure if he had ever met someone with so much compassion, even towards someone whose people had caused her such great pain. Though Iroh had never been on one of the raids to the Southern Water Tribe, he had read the reports. He knew the devastation the Fire Nation had caused. Still, when Zuko saw that light at the pole and invaded the nearby village, Iroh was shocked by the sight that greeted him from the ship’s deck. 

Knowing that they had literally decimated the tribe’s population and actually seeing it for himself were two very different things.

“Zuko attacked your people and followed you around as he searched for the Avatar,” he said, “But I wonder if your pain was about more than that.”

She nodded but kept her face turned away. "Down in the Crystal Catacombs, he and I had a long talk. I yelled at him then, too," she said, laughing shakily. "We realized that the Fire Nation had taken both of our mothers away from us, and I saw him as a person for the first time. Then he joined Azula, and..."

She trailed off, not needing to say what a disaster Zuko’s choice had been for both of them. They fell into a silence that was not quite uncomfortable as she finished washing the rest of the cups and he started drying them. With Zuko, this would be the time for a proverb. He didn’t think that was quite what she needed.

“When I was a younger man, I gathered every scroll in the library about the waterbenders. I wanted to understand how they thought about bending their element,” he said. She glanced at him with a puzzled expression but said nothing.

“Even though my nation had taught me that fire was the superior element, I still believed that there was wisdom to be gained from outside sources. My efforts were rewarded. I used what I learned to create a new firebending move: the ability to redirect lightning.”

“That’s what Zuko did during Sozin’s Comet!” she said, eyes alight. “Now that I think about it, the movement did look familiar.”

Iroh nodded. “This technique saved his life and yours, and we have your people to thank for their wisdom.” 

She smiled for the first time since they had left the table. The last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe. It suddenly dawned on Iroh that Aang wasn’t the only survivor of a genocide at his people’s hands. He cleared his throat and continued.

"I say all of this because it was clear to me, even when Zuko first started following your group all of those months ago, that you have a big heart, and would do anything to protect those you care about," he said. "I cannot and will never blame you for wanting to ensure the safety of your family, even if it was at the expense of my nephew for a time. I can only be glad that your family now includes Zuko. Your tribe should be very proud of you."

Katara wiped her eyes, but the smile remained as she whispered, “I hope so.”

A chorus of laughter, followed by a “Hey!” from Sokka, caught both of their attention.

“I’d better get back,” Katara said. “Thank you for what you said—it means a lot.”

"Of course,” he replied. “But if I may ask: what was it that finally changed your mind about my nephew?"

Katara’s eyes brightened even more, and—despite her claiming she wanted to get back to her friends—she embarked on a long story about Zuko first realizing that he knew who had carried out the raid on her village that had taken her mother, as well as the ensuing argument in their group over what to do with that knowledge. She talked about flying for days: first, to track down the Southern Raiders to their headquarters, and second, to track the man to his village on a remote island in the Fire Nation, as well as how she responded when confronted with the person who had stolen so much from her.

“So after all of that, I realized that Zuko was willing to do whatever it took to help his friends, so there was no question about me trusting him any more!"

Iroh blinked. 

There was far too much to unpack there, and he was entirely too exhausted for any of the thousand follow-up questions plaguing his mind.

"I'm glad to hear he helped you out," he murmured as he made his way to his room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Katara’s section was surprisingly tricky, and it didn’t get to a level I was happy with until I wrote the Toph section and realized that I could work in that Iroh speech (that was 1000% self-indulgent and I hope y’all enjoyed reading it even a fraction of the amount that I enjoyed writing it).
> 
> Kudos, comments, and transformative works are always appreciated <3
> 
> Find me on tumblr at [klainelynch](https://klainelynch.tumblr.com/)


	5. Suki

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So uh, this was the chapter that made me realize that this fic might hit 10k. When I started this project (originally conceived of as a one-shot), I assumed that each character would have around 1k in their section ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

When Zuko first wrote to Iroh and asked him to take over as interim Fire Lord for a few weeks so that he could search for his mother, Iroh sent back his _yes_ and started packing that very evening. The past year had been hard on them both, and Zuko had struggled under the weight of the crown for far too long, though it seemed he had finally learned to ask for help for himself. Iroh would happily, wholeheartedly answer that call.

But he was scared.

His words to Zuko, that morning of the comet, had been the truth. Their nation needed someone new to take the throne. True, Iroh had been trained in his youth for the role. He knew their government’s structure inside and out; he had studied the histories of not just the Fire Nation but also the other nations; he was well-connected and could communicate effectively with individuals and large groups of people. 

He was not the right person for this job. 

A nation transitioning from war to peace needed a leader who had never been an efficient and ruthless killer. For many people, maybe most people, he was still the Dragon of the West, and always would be. The other nations feared his reputation, and his own nation wondered why he hadn’t lived up to that reputation in almost a decade. Giving up power had been the right move.

_But Zuko had asked him to do this._

The journey to the palace took several days, which gave him plenty of time to strategize. Technically, his responsibility was not to rule, but to keep a sense of stability. He only _had_ to take action in the case of a serious crisis. The slightest misstep could be interpreted as a grab for power, could make others think that the last year had just been a clever ruse to lull the rest of the world into a false sense of security before Fire Lord Iroh rose to his rightful place as Azulon’s firstborn son. So, Iroh made a choice. He would play up his reformed self and allow the soft things about him to become the _only_ things about him. It was the only way for him to survive as he crossed the threshold of the palace for the first time in a year.

_Don’t remember the Dragon of the West._

_Don’t think of the countless lives ended, both on his orders and by his hand._

He feared that his time as interim Fire Lord would drag on, would provide hours to ponder over what could go wrong. Instead, the time flew by easily, and for all of his worrying, everything ended up just fine. None of his fears came to pass. Iroh supposed there was a proverb in there somewhere, but he hadn’t finessed that one just yet. The palace was wonderfully boring in the weeks that Zuko was away—the worst thing that happened was a storm that wrecked some supply ships and caused a salt shortage on Shuhon Island, and Iroh solved that easily enough by diverting the palace’s excess supplies their way. He traveled where he was needed, he made his diplomatic appearances without drawing unnecessary attention to himself, and no one seemed to find any part of it odd. It was the strangest sort of glimpse into what might have been. Mostly, he just felt selfish relief that this was the closest he would ever come to this role, and he couldn’t wait until he was back in his tea shop. It would only be a few more days at this point—Zuko was set to return with his mother and the rest of his new-found family soon. For the first time since his arrival, Iroh felt like he could breathe, and there seemed to be no better place to relax than in the gardens under the stars. The main staff had been dismissed for the day, and while a guard or servant would occasionally walk by, Iroh was left alone with his teapot.

“Mind if I join you?”

Iroh had apparently been so caught up in his thoughts that he hadn’t even noticed that Suki was one of those people walking by his bench. She was in her uniform, but Iroh could tell she was no longer on duty by the way she carried herself.

“Of course,” he smiled. “Ginseng?”

She accepted a cup and sat next to him. “It’s been great having you here and getting such good tea whenever we want. Zuko always talked up your brewing skills, but I didn’t quite believe him until we were at the Jasmine Dragon.”

Iroh watched as she glanced up at the sky and sighed. Although she had been by his side as the head of the Kyoshi Warriors for most of his time in the palace, she had never sought him out for a personal conversation. He wondered what had prompted her to do so tonight.

"Can I ask you something?" she asked. "Why did you decide to leave the Fire Nation after the war ended?" Her face was neutral, and the past few weeks hadn’t been enough time to tell Iroh if her face paint was her only mask. "Zuko tries to hide it, but I know this past year was really hard for him."

Her directness caught him off guard, and he fiddled with the teapot to give himself time to think. Even though Iroh had never set foot on Kyoshi Island, he could tell from the way Suki spoke that Kyoshi’s inhabitants were all rather straightforward. No need for flowery language—their words would stand on their own, or crumble under their own inadequacy. Iroh suspected it was a trait passed down from the Avatar herself.

"I know that now—he and I had a long conversation after Yu Dao,” he said. “I will be the first to admit that I underestimated how much Zuko would burden himself with before asking for help.”

“Yeah, ten minutes with Zuko in the Boiling Rock made it clear that he’s the kind of guy who would rather sacrifice himself than possibly allow someone else to get hurt because of him.”

It felt like an accusation, but her tone was still too neutral for Iroh to say for certain. “Some of his letters did give me pause,” he continued, “but most were too short for me to know if it was my own parental anxiety or not."

"And yet you _stayed_ in Ba Sing Se," she said, and Iroh could hear the indictment in her voice that time. It _had_ been a mask, then.

"What is your opinion of the Fire Nation, Suki?"

"Sorry?"

"You've now lived here for several months, but before that, you fought against the Fire Nation in the war. Few people have seen my nation from such a perspective. So, what do you think of it?"

She slumped back on the bench and exhaled slowly. It was far more casual than he'd ever seen any of the Kyoshi Warriors, who were normally so sturdy. "For me, I think it's a great place for a fresh start," she said. "When Mai first asked us to provide some extra protection to Zuko, I was glad to help my friend, but I wouldn't have brought my girls if they felt uncomfortable in any way, given the history of the past century and their time in a Fire Nation prison. But every single one of them decided to come."

"And what do you think made the difference?" he asked.

"Zuko," she said, without any sort of hesitation. "People notice what he's doing, how he's trying to help others. Even when the Earth Kingdom was up in arms about the colonies, there were a lot of people who understood that Yu Dao represented something new. Zuko is taking, not just his nation, but the entire world, to a new place."

"Yes, he is. And all of these are things that I would have supported him in if I had been here as one of his advisors,” Iroh said. “But what effect do you think it would have had, to see the Dragon of the West at the Fire Lord's right hand, as he declared that the oldest of the Fire Nation colonies would not be returned to the Earth Kingdom?"

"It would have been another war," she said. "Even more than the one we almost got."

"So as much as it pained me, I could not be there to help Zuko,” Iroh said, bowing his head. “I was there for him every day in his banishment, yet I had to allow him to walk this path alone. Part of me will always wonder if I let him fly too free, but there is no undoing the choices I made."

"So why not tell him any of that? And why help him now?"

He himself wasn’t sure of the first question. He had wanted to, of course, but there never seemed to be the time or the words, and that knowledge shamed him. Some part of him wondered if it was easier to discuss these things in war instead of the peace they had built. Ignoring it entirely, Iroh tackled the one he could easily answer.

"Simply put: I’m helping him because the world is ready for me to help him. Zuko has well established himself as the Fire Lord. Barring any sort of crisis, my role was only to keep everything running smoothly. Every action that I took was intended as a reminder that I have no intentions of actually ruling."

“Like creating National Tea Appreciation Day as your first action,” she said, and Iroh laughed. That had indeed been a part of his strategy. Of course he loved tea, but the holiday was nothing more than a silly distraction. Iroh had seen the puzzlement on Suki’s face as he cartoonishly grabbed the spear from a guard’s hand and replaced it with a tea cup. A second later, she was smiling, but it was the smile of someone who understood what was going on, and also understood the danger of others seeing what was going on, so she simply smiled.

“Yes, I thought you caught on to that little ploy—though I still think it’s actually a great idea for a holiday!”

She shook her head and accepted his offer of another cup. Their conversation moved to the sky, how the constellations that Iroh had grown up with compared to those from the South. He indicated Szeto’s Abacus, while she described The Hunter and Her Bow. Both smiled when they realized their favorite constellations shared a star.

“I’m sorry if I was rude earlier,” she said after a lull. “I know you care a lot about Zuko, and he cares for you just as much. It’s just been hard to watch him struggle when I know that you could have helped him.”

“I take no offense. Zuko is lucky to have friends as protective as you,” he said, and the thought struck him that Suki was the last one of their group that he hadn’t asked about their time in the war. It might be rude to simply fish for compliments on Zuko’s behalf, even if that was exactly what he wanted. But these last few years had taught him that it didn’t take much of an invitation for people to talk about Zuko.

"So how did my nephew help _you_?" Iroh asked. His tone was light, but he had come to expect a quick answer by this point, and was surprised when Suki's cup stopped halfway, and then clinked back on the bench. She stared at the grass, deep in thought for so long that Iroh felt the need to explain his question in the context of the other answers he had received. Her smile reassured him that he hadn't overstepped.

"They've told me about those adventures, and of course I lived through Sokka's, but I don't have a grand moment like that. I wasn't sure if what I'm thinking of counted because it was so small, but it meant a lot to me."

“Sometimes the moments that feel inconsequential to us are in fact the ones that matter the most in our entire story."

"I get what you’re saying, but this really is a small thing, not even just compared to everyone else. I'm thinking more about those days when we were hiding out on Ember Island," she said, swirling the remaining tea in the bottom of her cup. "I woke up early every day because of the schedule they'd kept us on in the Boiling Rock, but Zuko would always be up even earlier."

"Firebenders have trouble sleeping when the sun is out," he said, and she indicated that Zuko had told her as much.

"At first it was awkward. He and I were both outsiders to the group, in our own ways. I had been friends with them for longer, but he had just gone through some really intense things with them. We were both trying to figure out where we stood."

Iroh reflected on his nephew opening up their family home to his new friends. Though he wasn’t quiet by any means, words had never been Zuko’s choice for conveying his emotions. Actions had always been easier. He wondered if the group realized that when he offered the house as a base.

"So, we spared,” Suki continued. “He showed me your beach house's armory, and for the first couple of days, we just traded weapons whenever we felt like we had mastered them, or whenever we got bored of them."

"And who won more often?"

Suki smirked, and Iroh didn't need any more of an answer. He laughed, and she provided one anyway. 

"I'll say this: I've been training with all kinds of weapons since I was eight, and I know Zuko has focused his training on broadswords, but I had to work for every single one of those victories."

He and Ozai had had many arguments throughout their years, but among the worst was the first time Iroh had floated the idea of Zuko learning to fight without his bending. His brother had insisted that this kind of training would distract from his firebending lessons; Iroh had argued that confidence in one area might boost his confidence where it was lacking. Ozai never actually gave his blessing, but he became so wrapped up in ruling that Iroh was able to take Zuko to study with Piandao without him ever realizing.

"The teacher in me has to ask—what was it about those mornings that stuck with you? What did you learn?"

She laughed quietly at some joke Iroh didn’t understand and returned her eyes to the sky. A few clouds had formed, blocking some of the constellations, but Suki’s gaze seemed strong enough to pierce right through them.

"I think I realized that I was going to be okay,” she said in a tone almost too low for him to catch. “Things were so hard when I first escaped, but I didn’t want any of them to know that. I kept looking over my shoulder, expecting one of the guards to be there, to take me back, and I just knew I couldn't have handled that. But that routine gave me something to do, every single day, and it helped me hold onto myself. I don't even know if Zuko realized that's what he was doing for me. We never talked about it. We didn't need to."

Iroh didn’t tell her that he had gone through the same thing after his own escape. He couldn’t imagine what it would have been like, going through that as a child. The late hour seemed to suddenly hit them both at the same time, and Suki stifled a yawn, murmuring her thanks for the tea.

“Of course. And I speak from experience when I say that sometimes, the unsaid things need to be said too,” Iroh said as he collected both of their cups, intending to drop them off at the kitchen before retiring to his room.

“Then I think you know what you need to do when Zuko returns home,” she said.

Iroh’s brows knit together, and he started to ask what she meant, but Suki rolled her eyes and made it clear that she had noticed Iroh skipping her earlier question.

“Tell him everything you told me tonight, and anything else you should have told him a year ago. In a way that you know he’ll understand exactly what you mean.”

A weaker man would have faltered under the intensity of her gaze. Iroh simply nodded and promised that he would do so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY REAL TALK THIS SECTION NEARLY KILLED ME AND IS THE REASON WHY I DIDN’T PUBLISH THIS FIC BACK IN JULY 2020 D: I love Suki with my whole heart, but we see so little of her in canon (which is why I am SO PUMPED for the Suki graphic novel coming out this year), and I really struggled with how she and Iroh would interact. I wrote [a fic from her perspective](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25576480) just to try to get a grasp on her voice, added and deleted about eight different scenes, wrote in a completely new direction during NaNoWriMo 2020, and finally figured out how to put some of the pieces together five months after I started this fic. But eventually I reached a point of being happy with this section, and that’s all I can ask for.
> 
> Kudos, comments, and transformative works are always appreciated <3
> 
> Find me on tumblr at [klainelynch](https://klainelynch.tumblr.com/)


	6. Zuko

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note the updated tags—there will be a discussion about suicide near the end. It’s the characters discussing them thinking about it, it’s rather vague and neither one attempted anything, but if that’s something you don’t want or need to be reading, please take care of yourself and know that I won’t feel any type of way for you putting this fic to the side.

The Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se had many advantages, but one thing Iroh always missed was the wide open space necessary for an early morning kata. The city had changed within the last year, but an elaborate firebending display still drew leery eyes. Iroh didn’t want to make his neighbors uncomfortable, so he kept his bending smaller, more controlled. It had been nice to let go of those inhibitions here in the palace, and he would take advantage of this freedom one more time.

Iroh raised and lowered his hands several times, inhaling the warm morning air with deliberate purpose. He brought his hands out to the side, and kicked his right leg up as he sent a stream of fire from it. His hand knocked his leg down, extinguishing his fire. He alternated sides for several minutes, feeling his power grow as the sun rose in the sky. This was what he always tried to tell Jeong Jeong—no matter the potential destruction of their element, there was always incredible beauty in its strength.

He would go through one more set, a favorite from his youth, and then make his way to the kitchen for some of the ash banana bread that the cook had baked yesterday. This time, Iroh started with his fists at his sides. He jumped with his right foot raised and kicked out an even greater stream of fire from his left. As soon as he landed, he used that momentum to tuck and roll several feet before landing on his feet again and repeating the whole process from the other side. Pretty soon, his breath was heavy. It was hard work, and he loved it.

“That kata looks a lot more complicated than anything you tried to teach me at sea.”

Iroh smiled as Zuko made his way into the courtyard. “I retaught you all of the basic movements that would have been necessary for that kata, but thought it was a bit much to put it all together. Was I wrong?”

“No, I probably would have fallen flat on my face and yelled at you,” Zuko said. “Can you help me with it now?”

Iroh agreed, and within a few minutes, Zuko’s flame was even higher than Iroh’s. Part of that had to do with Iroh’s lack of regular practice, but most of it was how strong of a firebender Zuko had become. His nephew’s best days were still ahead of him, and Iroh couldn’t wait to see them.

“Would you like to try one more?” Iroh asked. When Zuko nodded, he dropped into a horse stance and brought his arms out in front of him. He raised his left foot and pushed off with his right to give himself enough momentum to spin around, unleashing a sphere of fire. Zuko laughed as he hopped out of Iroh’s range, and immediately fell in line beside him. They worked for the better part of half an hour before Zuko was finally satisfied with his progress. Iroh, not used to pushing himself for so long since his days in prison, knew he would be sore for days, but that was alright with him. Even just a few years ago, Zuko would have moved on after the first time he successfully completed the movement. The maturity necessary to repeat it again and again warmed his heart.

“I will miss our time together, but it is good to know that you are in much better spirits than the last time I left for Ba Sing Se,” Iroh said as they toweled off and made their way to breakfast. "Your mother is overjoyed to be with you once again, and your new family loves you just as much."

Zuko’s pace slowed as a serious look came over his face. “I’m glad we’re all together, but it’s weird. I don’t feel like I deserve this kind of happiness,” he replied. “There’s so much I have to take care of—the New Ozai Society, or Safe Nation Society, or whatever they’re calling themselves these days are still going to be trouble, Azula is missing again, and I wouldn’t blame the people if they didn’t trust me after this whole kemurikage mess.”

“You can’t fix all of our nation’s problems in one day,” Iroh said. He remembered how it was to be not yet twenty and feel responsible for the entire world. It was exhilarating, and crushing, and that was without the weight of the crown. “You won’t be able to fix them all in your lifetime, but I know that you will never stop trying, and your people know that too, and they love you for it.”

“It’s hard, Uncle,” he said quietly, and Iroh wished he could squeeze all of the sadness from him into the ocean, never to be seen again.

“I know.”

He didn’t, not really, but he knew Zuko knew that, as well as what he really meant.

"It has been nice to see all of your friends once again," Iroh continued. "You should know they speak highly of you even when you are not around to be embarrassed by their kindness."

"Trust me, I haven't forgotten that little speech you gave in the Jasmine Dragon," he said, giving Iroh a small shove with his shoulder.

"I have loved getting to hear their side of your adventures and how you helped each one of them,” Iroh said. He hadn’t planned on telling Zuko the versions he had heard, but the words came easily, and Iroh saw some of the weight lift off Zuko’s shoulders as he reminded his nephew of all the good he had done in the last days of the war.

“Now for some reason,” Iroh said as they settled into the breakfast nook with their banana bread, “they were much more willing to tell me all of the brave things you have done than you yourself were.”

"Were you even listening to yourself?  _ I'm _ the one who needed  _ their _ help. They all saved my life at least two or three times, sometimes even before we were friends."

"And isn't that what makes for a lasting friendship?" Iroh asked. "They saved you, and you saved them. Not just literally, but in all of the ways that matter. It is a precious thing to be with the people who have made you the person that you are, and I am grateful that you are lucky and wise enough to see this as you are living it, and not just in reflection of a long life."

Zuko ducked his head, but not enough to hide his smile, and it was in that moment that Iroh realized that Suki was right, and Toph was too—he needed to say this to Zuko, and say it in a way where there could be no mistaking his meaning.

“I want to apologize for my absence in your life over the past year. I wanted the Fire Nation to see that it was really you ruling and that I had no authority in this new era of our nation. I worried that being visibly by your side would do more harm than good, but I know that it was difficult for you to walk this path alone. I am sorry that I did not do more to help you, or explain the reasons for my absence.”

“Uncle, I understand why you did what you did,” Zuko frowned. “You don’t have to apologize.”

“And you didn’t have to apologize to me the morning of Sozin’s Comet, but you still felt the need to, did you not?”

Zuko shrugged. Both knew they were too similar for their own good. Iroh took a deep breath. Those had been the easy words. This part would be more difficult.

“I also want you to know—you might already have an idea, but I want to  _ tell _ you—I wouldn’t be here without your help, and I mean that in a very literal sense.” Zuko’s brows knitted and he started to open his mouth again, but Iroh continued on anyway. “You know I often use my proverbs to speak around things that are difficult to say, but I don’t want to do that right now. In case you did not know, when I returned home after your cousin died, I wanted to join him in the afterlife.” 

He felt a lump start to form in his throat, and swallowed. He  _ had _ to get this out. 

“So much of my life had been spent fighting for a worthless cause, and everything just seemed pointless.  I had lost my son and my throne, and it truly felt like no one would miss me if I took my own life. But you were there, and you needed me. I remember a day when you asked for my help with a kata," he said, chuckling despite the tears threatening to derail his story, "and I spent the entire afternoon just trying to help you understand how to move your arms the proper way. I remember thinking how useless I was, that I couldn't even help my own nephew with something I was supposed to be a master in, but then you hugged me, and thanked me, and it was the first moment that I thought about wanting to stay. It didn't chase all the darkness away, but you gave me a reason to hope, and I want to thank you for that.”

“You did the same thing for me in that first month of my banishment.”

Zuko’s words were rushed, almost like he hadn’t known he would speak them aloud until they had left him. Iroh felt his stomach clench as the weight of what he had said and what each of them had thought about doing settled on him, but he kept his gaze on Zuko, who quietly continued.

“I don’t think I would’ve gone through with it, but I would sometimes wake up without anyone realizing it, and the healer would be saying how it would be a miracle for me to survive, let alone with my hearing and eyesight intact, and I would pray that Agni let me go. It seemed easier to hope that I would just sleep forever. But then I would notice you there, no matter what time of day it was, saying that I would get through it all and—I would just—you didn’t even know I was awake. You weren’t saying it for my benefit, you were saying it because you believed it. I started to think maybe it wouldn’t be all bad to make it.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“I didn’t want anyone to know.”

Iroh rose from the table at the same moment as Zuko. It was not their first hug since that day in Iroh’s tent when Zuko had begged for forgiveness that he didn’t truly need. For all of the distance in their relationship over the past year, hugs had been freely given whenever they were together. But somehow, it felt like the most real, the most true one since Sozin’s Comet, and it was a long time before either of them made a move to pull back.

“I know we don’t usually talk about these sort of things in our family,” Iroh said as he wiped his eyes, “but if you don’t mind, I’d like to end that sort of nonsense with us.”

“I’d like that too, Uncle,” Zuko said. Iroh hadn’t seen a look of such easy tranquility on his face in a long time, and he felt his face reflect his nephew’s.

“I’d also like to visit you more often. I think the Jasmine Dragon can spare me for a couple of days every month, and I would be honored to help you in whatever way  _ you _ need  _ me _ .”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I knew I wanted a +1 from the start, but it took me so long to figure out what Zuko’s section would possibly look like, and it wasn't until after I published the first chapter that I realized how I could really use this chapter to tie everything together. Somehow, that feels fitting to me for a Zuko chapter.
> 
> Also, there was a large part of my soul that worried that I would never get any sort of real writing out of my outline for the end of this chapter because I was so in love with it:  
> > Iroh- you know, you’ve told me a lot about the struggles you’ve faced over these last few years, but you rarely volunteer your successes.  
> > Zuko- there aren’t that many of them.   
> > Iroh- lists all of the things Zuko’s friends told him.   
> > Zuko- ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> The inspiration for the firebending katas can be found [here](https://youtu.be/9f8zb_QKZEo?t=1749).
> 
> And seriously, thank you so much for reading this fic—it’s always a shot in the dark with what fics will resonate with people, so I’m tickled that this particular fic of mine has gotten this kind of love. The idea for this story struck me back in the netflix renaissance, and it was a lot harder to write than I thought it would be, but I’m happy with it, and I hope you enjoyed it. As always, kudos, comments, and transformative works are greatly appreciated <3
> 
> Find me on tumblr at [klainelynch](https://klainelynch.tumblr.com/)


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